Pneumatic gun



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Modell) W. T. VOSE.

. PNEUMATIG GUN. l No. 306,563. PatentedOt. 1 4, 1884.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-amne. W. T. VOSB. PNEUMATIG GUN.

Patented Oct. 14

vposition of parts.

AUNITED STATES i PATENT .Ormea :v WILLIAM 'In voSE, or nnw'ronvinnn,l MASSACHUSETTS.

Pneumatic-cw. f'

I 1'9,9'i:crrrc'a'rro'N forming par: of Imaan;i Patent-Na. 306,563, daten-october I4, Isa-i.

` i Application tiled January 26, 1884. (No modell' y To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM T. Vosr., of Newtonville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new arid useful Improvements in Pneumatic Guns; and I do hereby declare that the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains yto make and use the same, reference being hadgto the accompanying drawings, and to the lettersI of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices known as pneumatic guns, in .which the expansive properties of compressed air are utilized for the expulsion of a projectile from the gun-chamber, thus avoiding the disagreeable oder, smoke, and other objectionable feature's attendant upon the use of g-unpowder.-

By reason of the simplicity, strength, and compact disposition of the parts of which my improved gun is composed and the high degrec of compression to which l am enabled to subject the air in the storage-receptacle myembodied invention,whi1e cheap, durable, and easily kept inrepair, also performs its necessary functions with precision and 'full utilization of the power employed.

'Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate like parts, Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents my invention in side elevation, portions being shown as broken away to disclose more fully the dis- Y Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a central longitudinal section through the compression or storage chamber and the smaller charginglcylinder. Figs. 3 and 4, Sheet 1, are respectively cross-sections on the lines y y and a' w, Fig. 1. Fig. 5, Sheet' 2, is a plan view of the under side; and Figi 6, Sheet 2, is a central longitudinal Section through the two chargngfcylinders.

My improved pneumatic gun consists, in the forni represented in the drawings, of th ree principal sections-the stock A, barrel NV, and intermediate charging-piece, Z, all of which are united'by screw-threaded extensions t and w, or otherwise, so as to constitute a strong,well jointedstructure. The middle section is provided with an internal chamber, L, in which is centered the spring-seated stem f, carrying the valve la. .This stem plays in a step, g, at the rear end of the chamber, and has a forward extension, p, projecting beyond the outlet-opening andadapted to be operatedby the cam e. The spring is of suflicient strength to hold the valve against its seat while the chamber is being charged with air, as hereinafter explained. It is, however, comparatively 6o light, so as to oppose no' greater resistance to theworking of theivalve than can be avoided. The cam is iixed upon a shaft, c, loosely `journaled in the chamber z, and squared at its outer end for the reception 0f the ordinary 65 spring hammer and trigger, U. The cam and hammer are relativelyl so disposed upon the shaft that when the latter is at half or full cock the cam is out of contact with the valvestern extension p, but when at thel position of 7o discharge,as shown in Figs. land 2, it bears against such extension, forcing the valve from its seat.

In front of the cam-chamber z is situated a two `way charging cock, l, having a central 75 aperture in axial alignment with the bore ofthe gnn'whe'n ready to. discharge.l The cock is slightly tapering, and is held in position by the washer a. At the larger end is attached,

by means ot a Screw, b, the operatinghandle 8o D, which yis slightly sprung at its center, so that it will in its horizontal position bear with friction against the exterior surface of Z, and be held firmly in place. By means of the handie the cock can be revolved to the position shown in Fig. 3. The central passage then comes in line with a charging-aperture, H," and the bullet X, or shot, can be inserted. The return of thehandle to its horizontal position closes theopening, as Shown in Fig. v2, and 9o places the bullet or shot in the line of discharge.4 rlhe Storage chamber L is filled with compressed air by means of the subjacentair-condensing differential cylinders C and M. The cylinders are fitted with separate pistons GI, whose heads are provided with valves opening i n opposite directions. The cylinder C is open at one end to the atmosphere, but M is closed bya stuing-box fitting, through which j lasses the pistonrod. The cylinder M com- Ico municates with .j the storage chamber L by means of the passage o, provided with an inwardly-opening iiap, puppet, check, or other valve. llhe outer ends ofthe piston-rods are ,joined by a transverse pin, T, which supports also the inner end of the operating-lever E. lhe latter is furnished with a pivot, R, carrying the opposite links F F,which play loosely upon the stationary screw-pin S, firmly secured in the stock, the whole leverage system constitutingatoggle-joint. The stock is channeled out for the reception of lever E and its hand grasp B. and is also provided with grooved guides XV, in which the inner end ot' the lever plays during the operation of 'the air-pump. i

The parts being disposed as deseribed,the operation of my'invention is as follows: The hainmer bcingplaced at half-cock, the cam-piecee either does not engagewith ormerely rests upon the extension p ot'thevalvc-stem. Gonsequently the spring forces the valve h firmly upon the outlet of the storage-chamber L. The pistonheads, which in the position shown in Fig. 1 are at the heads of their respective cylinders, are then caused to move outwardly by depressing the handle B of the lever E. During this movement the valve q closes, and the air contained in the cylinder M passes by the passage o into the chamber L. In the meantime air enters by the valve u from the external atmosphere and iills both cylinders. The air now contained in the chamber L is partly compressed, inasmuch as that chamber holds, in addition to its original volume, the additional amount formerly in cylinder M. My greatest power, however, I obtain by the i'eturn of the lever E to its former position. During this movement the valve u closes and q opens, and the whole volume of air contained in the cylinder C is forced through the passage g and valve q' by way of the cylinder M and passage o into the storage-chamber. The valve at the termination of the passage o prevents a ret-urn of the compressed airffroni the storage-chamber. The reciprocation of the lever may be repeated a number of times until the desired degree ot' compression is secured in the chamber L. The gun being then charged by means of the two-way cock, as hereinbcore explained, the hammer may be placed at full-cock and the piece discharged by pulling the trigger, the cam forcing the valve h from its seat and releasing the compressed air back of the bullet or shot.

Itis evident that by my toggle-jointed lel 'ver I am enabled to exert an extraordinary force upon the piston, the ratio of power being dependent upon t-he length of the leverarm and the distance of the rod-connection' from the fulcruin. The arrangement of both rods upon the same pivot also enables me, at a single operation, to take air from the external atmosphere and forceit into the storagereceptacle, thus effecting a notable economy in the time necessary for charging the chainber. lt is evident,.,liowevcr-, that'without departing from the spirit of my invention itl may be modified in various ways and still preserve Iits essential features. Thus it may be found convenient to use more than one open lever E at a proportionate distance from the fulcrum. In place, also, of the spring-seated stemf playing in the step p, `I may make the stem stationary and the valve and its extension spring-seated and movable upon it. 4In such construction, however, there would be vdanger of leakage, and I prefer the one shown in my drawings.

The charging-opening for the bullets might be made at t-he side instead of the top ot' the gun, and the position of the handle appropri ately changed.

All of these and other modifications embodying the substitution of mechanical equivalents for the separate elements shown I contemplate using, according to theparticularexigencies of the case.

I regard as a very essential part of my invention the fact that it enables me to secure at once the full eective force of the compressed air, the entire volume beingdischarged instantlyat the rear of the projectile.y

lever whenv in its closed position, substantially-I as described.

3. In al pneumatic gun, the combination f c the stock A, having guidegrooves XV, the toggle-jointed lever pivoted to said stock and working in said guide-grooves, the pistons to which the forward arms of the lever are attached, aud the compound compressing-cylinders, substantially as described.

4. In a pneumatic gun, the combination, with the storage-receptacle L', of the air-condensing chamber M, air-supply chamber C therefor, (the chamber C -being largerthan chamber M valved pistons G I, and means lfor operating the latter, substantially as described.

5. In a pneumatic gun, the combination, with the storage-receptacle L, of the outletvalve h, the hammer-shaft' c, provided with cam; e, and the barrel W, said hammer-shaft and cam being located in such position with respect to 'the valve as tol operate the latter when the shaft is revolved in the actof tiring, substantially as described. f

6. In a pneumatic gun, the combination, i

vidodwith cmn e, to abuate the rod of valve. h, In testimony. that I claim the foregoing as xo and the barrel W', substantiallyas described.. my own I affix my signature in presence of 7. In a. pneumatic gun, the combination. `two witnesses. with the breech-frame, of the revolving twoway loading-ping and its hand-lever, oentml- "WILLIAM T. VSE. lysprnng, and having in its closed position frictional cont-act against the side of the hany Witnesses:

.m1, snhsiantially as and for the purpose Set C. A. NEALE,

forth. EDWARD E. ELLIS. 

